Las Vegas Serial Casino Robber Arrested
Las Vegas Metro Police have released more information on the arrest of a suspect after a string of armed robberies at casinos between November 2022 and this month.
D’Shante Styles, 33, is currently in custody after being arrested last Thursday. He is facing more than 60 charges. That includes multiple counts of armed robbery and attempted robbery related to casino properties in Las Vegas and Henderson, as well as grand larceny of motor vehicles and other crimes.
New information has now emerged this week from a 17-page arrest document on how Styles was caught by Las Vegas Metro Police.
Described as “brazen and a threat to the community” by Deputy Chief Nick Farese at a press conference, Farese said law enforcement “devoted the weight of our organization to apprehend this dangerous individual.”
“I Will Shoot”
Police first noticed back in January several similarities between the string of robberies. They publicly revealed that they were chasing one suspect in regard to several of the cases.
The authorities did not initially reveal what casinos were involved. However, it was widely understood that at least four high-profile casino robberies from last year were part of the investigation.
Those four casinos were Gold Coast, Green Valley Ranch, Silverton, and Rampart.
Officers soon realized the crimes were connected after the suspect was seen wearing similar clothes (gloves, hat and a COVID-19 mask) in several of the robberies.
They also noted the consistent calm demeanor of the suspect, who mostly communicated through notes to the cashiers in each of the robberies.
“Put the 10 stacks in the bag or I will shoot,” said the same note used in three of the robberies, as reported by KNTV Las Vegas.
Detectives also noticed that, prior to each robbery, a vehicle would be stolen in the nearby area, often in the same manner: the robber pretended to be a valet at a casino or hotel.
Police linked these carjackings to Styles with CCTV footage showing similarities in appearance to the casino robber.
The evidence that closed the case for the police came earlier this month from the final attempted robbery at M Resort. Styles left a hat behind at the scene of the crime, which police later found contained his DNA.
Just a day after that robbery, he was caught by police in Las Vegas in the parking lot of Dotty’s on Desert Inn Road.
He was driving an unregistered car and had a semi-automatic handgun with him. In the car, police also found a black jacket that they believe was worn during the robberies.
$30,000 Spree
Styles hardly netted himself millions during his five-month crime spree. Two of his robberies failed after being confronted by security or denied by casino cage measures.
At the Gold Coast Casino in November last year, he made away with some $30,000 – but that first robbery would turn out be the most successful getaway of the lot. He stole $10,000 from the Silverton on December 20, and then $3,500 from the Rampart Casino just four days later. The last attempted robbery on April 19 resulted in his arrest the day after.
Styles is due to appear in court on May 9. He was previously convicted of 13 other armed robberies in 2009.